1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved cooking device for use in frying pans, sauce pans, ovens and countertops that has many functions. It is a reversible grill with a plurality of orifices or slots to permit food fats, such as grease, to drip down into or through the device. The present invention cooking device has a plurality of nesting recesses formed, molded, or cut into one side and, thus, on one side becomes a cooker for meatballs and other small food masses when placed in a frying pan or on a plate grill with the nesting recesses up. When it is reversed with the nesting recesses down, it may be used in a frying pan for grilling steak, burgers, fish, chicken, etc. Separately the present invention device may be used for backing support such as for bread and pizza. It may also be used as a cake cooling device to raise a cake off a plate for underside circulation, or it could be used as a server.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
The following patents relate to the field of cookware, especially for accommodating spherical shaped foods.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,431,059 B1 is a device for backing spherical food products. It includes a main support, made of material capable of sustaining a temperature of at least 500 degrees Fahrenheit, which has an outer perimeter for nesting atop a pan or its equivalent, e.g., a cake pan, brownie pan, cookie tin, a pot, a frying pan, or even a piece of aluminum foil folded on its edges to act like a pan. The primary purpose of the pan is to receive and hold grease and drippings from the food products being cooked in the present invention devices. The main support of the present invention device includes a plurality of semispherical recesses, each having a predetermined outer radius, and being located on the main support typically in an orderly fashion, and having a plurality of drainage holes located thereon. The invention may be formed of a high temperature tolerant material such as metal, ceramic, and glass, and may also have a non-stick coating.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,176,067 is an apparatus for grilling food including a base, a reflector positioned within the base, a heating element mounted upon the base and spaced above the reflector, and a food-supporting grill. The reflector includes a downwardly sloped bottom surface having a central region shaped to define a flavor well and a plurality of perforations disposed outside of the flavor well to direct drippings away from the flavor well.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,273 is a device for cooking fatty foods such as meatballs or other foods which are characterized by the production of liquid fat during the cooking process is disclosed. A pan having a bottom and upstanding side walls is provided. A removable heat-conductive tray is adapted to be supported in spaced relationship above the bottom of the pan. The tray includes a plurality of food supporting cavities and the bottom of each cavity is provided with a drain for permitting liquids removed from the food during cooking to drain into the bottom of the pan. Removable electric resistance heating means is adapted to be supported beneath the tray in heat conductive relation therewith for conduction head to and throughout the tray sufficient to cook the food in the cavities, the heating means underlying the tray and positioned above the level of the drains so as to provide unrestricted passage of liquids emanating from food being cooked in the cavities for the drains to the bottom of the pan.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,236,992 in combination with a boiling pan having a bottom wall and side walls, a rack for supporting the food to be broiled above the bottom wall, a removable liner overlying the inner faces of the bottom and side walls of the broiling pan, said liner consisting of a thin bendable metallic sheet conforming to the shape of the inside of the broiling pan, and said rack having portions in contact with said liner.
U.S. Pat. No. 936,965 is an egg cooking utensil comprising a receptacle for boiling water, a cover therefor, the sides of said receptacle being inwardly bent to form an internal rib near the upper edge thereof, in combination with an egg supporting frame comprising a skeleton plate having a downwardly extending circumferential flange of slightly less diameter than said plate and forming therewith an outwardly extending rib, said skeleton plate having openings there through in which eggs may be supported, and a series of openings through which steam may pass to the receptacle above the plate, means for lifting said plate and a plurality of egg holders adapted to fit in said openings in the plate and having circumferential flanges for supporting the same, and said circumferential flange extending below the level of the bottoms of said holders to support the same out of contact with the support upon which the device is resting when removed from the receptacle, substantially as described.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,234,407 is an apparatus for backing dough into solid rolls, the combination with a pair of cooperating plate sections and means for holding them in operative position, of a plurality of spaced-apart cavities formed in the inner face of one section, each cavity being substantially circular in outline and having curved interior walls prolonged into a flat bottom, and a corresponding plurality of spaced apart cavities formed in the confronting face of the other section, each cavity having acutely edged semi-partitions converging into a prolonged outstanding point at the center of the bottom of the cavity to give the top of the roll centrally converging divisional lines.
Notwithstanding the foregoing prior art patents, the present invention is neither taught nor rendered obvious in view of said prior art references.